Automobile signal switch



J. O. BOLTON ET AL AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL swr'rcx Filed Oct. 21, 1922 JesseQBGW Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

1 UNITEDJ STATETS fPAT EN-T OFFICE.

JESSE baseman; JAMES H. s'rumasimn wniL IAm A DERSON, or MEMPHIS,

' @TENNESS-EE.

AUTOMOBILE jsIeNAI; swrrcrrQ Application n1ed10ctober 21, 1922. SerialNo. 596,029.

To all whom it may concern 1 7 Be it'knownthat we, Jessa O. BOLTON,JAMES H. S'ruirr,.and WILLIAM Aivrmnso v', citizens of the UnitedStates, residingf'at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements, inAutomobile Sig: nal. Switches, of which the followin is a specification,reference being had to t e accompanyingdrawings; 1 v I This. inventionrelates to improvements of switch especially adapted for use in signalcircuits of automobiles.

'An important object ofthe to provide a signal switch for use inindiea-ting the intention of the driver in so far as turning movementsof the vehicle are concerned, which is so constructed and mounted thatitis semi-automatically operated by the shifting of the operators' handupon the steering wheel as his hands are moved to eflfect a turning;movemQ fii-of the steering wheel. 1 a

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch ofthischaracter which is mounted upon the steering wheel and whichhas'hand engaged portions against which the hands of the operator abutto operate the switch during movement of thehands about the steeringwheel to effect the steering movement. i n

A still further object of the invention is to provide, a deviceof thischaracter which is sim' le in a construction and arrangement, durab e'in service and a general improve ment in the art. U

"These and other objects'we attain by the construction and arrangementshown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purposeofillustrationgis shown a preferred embodiment of our invention andwherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings: 1 Figure 1 is a. wiring diagram showing the manner ofconnecting the switch in a signal light circuit; I v

Figure 2 is a plan view of the switch; and

Figure 3 is verticalsectional view taken therethrough. I

In the diagram shown in Figure 1 means are provided for operating rightor left turn signals as desired and for operating invention is cordinglythe a straight' ahead signal when neither of the right or left turnsignals are in operation and for-likewise operating an audible sig- ;nal19 duringthe operation ofveither ofthe right or left turn signals. Thismeans consists in a-'-suitable source of current 20 having one'terminalthereof grounded to the ground of the car bya wire 21 and the otherterminal thereof connected by a wire 22 with a switch 23. This switch isdiagrammatically shown in the'form of a rotatable post 24 havingextending radially therefrom' arms 25, 26 and 27. The arm 26 operatesintermediate a pair of contacts 28 andmayhe engaged with either thereofand the arm 27 operatesintermediate a air of contacts 29 and engageswith one o the contacts 28. '--'One of'the contacts 28 is connected witheach of the lamps'l, the other terminal of the bulb of these lamps beinggrounded to the ground of the car. Each of the contacts291is connectedwithjone terminal of the audible signal 19 and the other terminal of theaudible signal is grounded to the ground of the car. The lamp oflthestraight ahead signalhas one terminal thereof grounded and the other,one'connected with a contact 30 which is adapted to be engagedby the arm25 of the switch when the arms. 26 and 2 7.v are arrangedintermediateitheir contacts 28 and 29 and out of engagement therewith.It will be seen that the switch being rotated to hi ing the arm 26 intoengagement with one'ofits contacts 28, the lamps of thecorrespondingbsignal element will be illuminated and a signal given forright or left turn as the case may be. At the same time. the arm 27comes into engagement-with one of its contacts '29 completing thecircuit through the'audible signal 19 and giving an 'audiblewarningo'fintention on the part of theoperator to change direction. During periodswhen the car is moving straight aheadthe'switch' arms 26 and 27 will bearranged intermediate their contacts and acarm 25 will be engaged withthe contact 30 and the straight ahead signal will be'illuminated.

In Figures 2 and 3 we have shown the construction of the switch 23. Inthis switch we providea-n arcuate segment 31 of suitable insulatingmaterial provided at its ends with guides 32. Through the guides 32operates an arcuate conductor element 33 having at its ends portio nsift projecting beyond thecramping-his farinsf With the. switch an,ranged! in this manner ,1 the, operator. 1 by ends' of the segment-31 bymeans-fof'whioh it may beengaged to shift it through the guides -Th issegment has arms 25; 26" and 27' corresponding to thejarms 25', 26

and 27 of the switch 23, these arms'operatingf between'contacts 2S111K129 corresp(mdmg. H

- "c'a1-r1ed-by oneiof said members, a contact to the contacts 28a11d'29 of the'witkzhher inbefore described, and a ,further; contact 30.

corresponding to the contaot..;3O of this switch." Clliese'contacts'28,29 and 3Q' -are carried' 'by the segment 32 and electrically connectedwiththe;signallightsand audible v I p bemgout of engagement with thecontacts signal" in exactly the- *same manner .hereinf before described,the wiring circuit being identical" with that .shown min Figure 2.

' Springs are provided fonmaintainijng-Q y p r steering wheeh'aswitch'attached thereto in-" clildi'rig :a'rcuate stationary and movableelements, said moyab-le'element 'beingprovided I I at the ends thereofwith lhandeng-a'gedportions against whichthe-handoftheoperator f the''shift-ing segment 33 in; position-with the.

contact "arm 25f in engagement with the In the" use of the device the320113126" seg ment 31 is arranged ;upon,}that portion; of, the steeringwheel uppermost -whenthe Wheels of I the c'ar are. directed straightahead. Asfis"well' knownlto those familiar" withthe operation of cars;adriver prepara-. tory tomaking a'turnwiththe Vehicle which he isdriving, shifts iliislhand :upwardly onf the steering wheelso astoiobtain a gripiperg mitting' himto? t1irn-the wheell without.simplyymoyin'g-his hand upwardly until he comes into engagement withtheflsWitch forces the switch. overemaking; the eontact' v p whichilluminates" the desired signals 7 and f immediately jupon-flreleaseofthe .wheeliand returii'of theoperatofis-handsmthe normal-J I I p p H hI eluding 'sta't onary and I moyiable "elements ,position -'the*s'witchassumes a p ositiort with the straight ahead f'signal :illuminatedgj-By' this construction the. necessity of the apes; ator removinghishands from the Wheel is entirely eliminated i'and' the operationfoffltheI actual thoughtds necessary-for the correot operation thereof; j Itwill furthermore be invention and we accordingly :dQ note-limitourselvesto such specifier construction; and v here nafter claimed.

obViousthat theoonstruotion and arrangement hereinbefore set forth; arecapable of U some; change and modification I 1 without materiallydeparting "from the spirit of our :let ijeei i a ie at ei 'wcomob e' 3 ielements, I said I j movable-element being prooperator contacts in;moving. 'aboutf'theis'teer ing vwheel to shift thesamefspaced arms Ielement with whichone of said arms is normallyengaged, spaced "contactelements ary seleetively engageable; saidlastnamed arms ,"r'angedi uponopposite sides of the other of .the arms and, with'whieh theo-ther armsare I I thei'eof-When the firstnamed arm is engaged" "with its eontact.

" 2;{In jFeombination with anautomobile contacts in moving about, thesteering wheel of I said members, a contact element with which one. ofsaid arms-is normally en- I 1 gagged,v spaced contact elements arranged'upon opposite sides ofthe-oth'erofgthe arms and with which the-"otherarms are: -'selectiyelyengageable, said last named armbe-v I mg out ofengagement' with the contacts thereof when the first-named armis'engagedf l l with itseontact, a-nd' 'means-for yieldably maintaining the armbearing segment with 1' h rm there f In eng se ee ts' I 111; 'tombinatioa tithe aiaueaobn steer ng heel, "a' switch attached theretoinear edtd correspondto'the curvature of the i I wheel rim and mountedupon said rim,; 'said' movable elements being provided at the endsthereof withhand engaged. portions posit oned tobe .engage'd by thehandof the operator in moving about-the steering Wheel holding the movableContact centrally positioned "with, relation to thestationaryelement,armscarried'byfsaid movable Contact "to shift {the same, "springsconnecting the f movablef'and stationary contacts normally I and'contactelements carried byisaid stationa a ry element with whioh'said'arniseoact; I y 1 our signature; I

JAMES- H. STUMP In testimony hereof we I here nto afiix JESSE 0. BOLTON;

